


Talking to Sleeping Beauty

by azure_rosa



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-31
Updated: 2010-10-31
Packaged: 2017-11-11 23:15:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/483964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/azure_rosa/pseuds/azure_rosa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Unable to express himself and his emotions adequately to a conscious Remus, Severus resorts to talking to him as he sleeps.  What happens when one night Remus isn’t as asleep as Severus thinks?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Talking to Sleeping Beauty

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lore](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lore/gifts).



> Disclaimer: If you think any of these characters are mine please tell me what world you live in so I can move there posthaste! Concept blatantly stolen from kitsunenagisa’s Sherlock/John story (also G rated) found here <http://kitsunenagisa.livejournal.com/5148.html> I maintain hers is better so if you like the pairing go have a gander!  
> Summary: Unable to express himself and his emotions adequately to a conscious Remus, Severus resorts to talking to him as he sleeps. What happens when one night Remus isn’t as asleep as Severus thinks?  
> Warnings: some emotional turmoil and a good bit of sap. *licks spoon* Tastes good to me!  
> Beta: bonfoi All remaining mistakes are mine.  
> AN: In honor of lore’s birthday and the hard work she puts into the community, a bit of sap (hopefully plausibly IC) :D

_Well,_ thought Remus, _this isn’t exactly how I pictured this conversation happening._ He had vague memories of Severus talking to him as he drifted in the dark sea between the dreaming and waking world for the last week or so, but he never actually remembered what his lover said, merely the way he said it.

Severus always sounded as if he was relaying the most important secret the world had ever known, but Remus couldn’t manage to wrestle free of Morpheus’ grip soon enough to understand. Frustrated with himself and convinced he _needed_ to know what Severus said when he knew Remus would not truly hear his words, Remus decided to pretend to be asleep the following night. What happened that night was a memory he would treasure all of his life.

Severus often came to bed after Remus had already traveled to dreamland, but this night he only looked asleep. Remus feared Severus would immediately realize his duplicity, but his lover seemed unaware of anything amiss. Remus carefully watched Severus through his eyelashes, trying his best to appear slumbering to his lover’s sharp eyes.

Instead of merely sliding into bed and joining Remus in sleep, Severus stood looking at his lover of a year with the most open expression of tenderness Remus had ever seen on his face. Severus’ hand slid up Remus’ chin to cup his left cheek, his thumb slowly and ever so softly stroking his cheek in such a tentative gesture of affection that Remus almost dropped his charade to reassure his love of his welcome. Severus’ voice, usually so smooth and confident, was broken and hesitant as he quietly spoke his secret to the lover he assumed would be unable to hear his words.

“My Remus, you have no idea- I wish I could tell you properly- that is, you deserve to know how much I- why can I not say the words to you even when you cannot possibly hear them and recoil from me?” Remus’ heart clenched with a curious mix of elation and sorrow at the message his love was trying so hard to convey to him. He had not declared his own feelings because he did not wish Severus feel pressured to say them in return. It seemed he had miscalculated and his silence had done nothing but throw his love’s emotions into turmoil. He had just decided to pretend to awaken so he could comfort his lover when Severus continued.

“Foolish of me I know. I highly doubt you would run if I told you how I feel for you; you are a sentimental Gryffindor after all.” That last bit was said with much more obvious fondness than Severus usually allowed his voice to hold even when they were alone.

“You just don’t understand how _vulnerable_ you make me feel. How broken I would be if- _when_ you leave me. I do not know how I would manage without you after having had you in my life.” Severus’ voice wavered and his eyes glistened as he spoke, silently highlighting his distress. As much as Remus wanted to jump up and draw Severus into his arms he knew Severus would be upset he had witnessed this private moment. Thus decided, Remus maintained his charade and resolved to fix everything in the morning. The odd confession ended with a gentle kiss to Remus’ forehead before Severus climbed into their bed and promptly fell asleep.

Sleep, however, was not for Remus that night. His mind turned the one-sided conversation over and over in his mind. He knew Severus cared deeply for him and he had been satisfied with Severus’ methods of showing his affection, but _knowing_ rather than merely hoping Severus loved him was a gift beyond measure. One he swore to himself he would never squander.

Giving up on even the possibility of sleep, Remus rose from their bed before dawn and went to make his love a proper breakfast. Neither of them were morning people so breakfast was usually a rather simple affair, tea, toast and eggs if they felt up to it. But today was a special day, today Remus was going to tell Severus exactly how he felt about him and that called for a feast of a breakfast.

Severus woke earlier than usual to a cold bed and truly delicious smells. Pulling himself out of bed, he showered and dressed before following his nose to the kitchen. Upon entering and seeing all of his favorite breakfast foods present, he had to ask.

“What did you do?”

“Me? Nothing,” Remus replied innocently.

“What do you want then?”

“Nothing, Severus.”

“Then what is the occasion?”

“I’m just incredibly happy.”

“Any particular reason you feel like sharing, wolf?”

“I dreamt of you last night,” Remus replied casually as he buttered his toast. He wasn’t looking at Severus so he didn’t see his lover’s sudden pause at his response but he heard it.

“Did you now?” Severus voice was painstakingly even.

“Oh yes, one of the best dreams I’ve ever had in fact.”

“I suspect I lived up to your expectations then,” Severus smirked smugly.

“Always, Severus, but it wasn’t that kind of dream.”

“Oh?” Severus queried, “What kind was it then?”

“The kind that gave me all I ever wanted if only I would reach for it.”

“What do you want, Remus?” Severus sounded almost nervous as he asked his loaded question.

“I want my dream to be real.” Remus replied simply.

“What did you dream, wolf?”

“I dreamt you came to me after I had gone to bed, you cupped my cheek in your hand and told me how much you care for me, how vulnerable I make you feel, how you need me in your life.”

“The mind plays odd tricks when one is sleeping.” Anyone else might have been fooled by the stoic expression and off-hand tone, but Remus heard the barely-there tremor in his lover’s voice that only was present when he was trying to deflect attention, usually because he was afraid of something.

“Severus?” Remus waited until his love looked at him before continuing, “I love you too.”


End file.
